Universal Orlando Wants to Reopen on June 5

By Variety Staff

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Universal Orlando hopes to reopen its doors to the public on June 5.

The Florida theme parks, which is seeking approval of its reopening plan from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, proposed a “slow ramp up” of the popular tourist attraction, which has been closed since March.

All employees and guests will be required to wear masks, with guests receiving temperature checks as they arrive. Hand washing stations will also be required at each ride – every other row on the rides will be empty, as will parking lot spaces.

Universal Orlando be one of the first major theme parks in the U.S. to reopen this summer amid the coronavirus pandemic. Bush Gardens and Sea World in Florida are also expected to back in business albeit with limited crowds starting in June.

Disney has yet to announce any reopening plans for Orlando-based Disney World, which has been quietly taking reservations for the resorts from July onward on its website. The company recently opened Disney Shanghai on May 11, as it hopes to start recuperating some of its $1.4 billion in losses due to theme park closures amid the coronavirus pandemic. Disneyland in California and Universal Studios Hollywood are both expected to take much longer to reopen, based on California’s stricter distancing guidelines.